From Driven to Drained: What Really Causes Burnout (and How Therapy Can Help)
Burnout is more widespread than ever. In a culture that rewards constant productivity and “being always available,” creating a healthy work-life balance has become increasingly difficult. Technology, while helpful, blurs the boundaries between work and rest. The pings and alerts from coworkers, family, news, and social media rarely stop, making it harder to recharge and easier to spiral into burnout.
Although burnout is often associated with career stress, it doesn’t stop at the office door. You can experience burnout in your role as a partner, parent, caregiver, student, or even a friend. When we push ourselves to excel in every area of life, without rest or support, we often ignore the quiet signals of depletion until we hit a wall. Running on empty works for a few miles, but, unfortunately, burnout can have serious, lasting negative impacts on your mental and physical health.
Burnout is more than just being exhausted. It can affect your mental clarity, emotional health, relationships, and even your immune system. Understanding your own needs, being attuned to your body, and setting healthy boundaries can help you avoid or recover from burnout.
What Is Burnout?
Burnout is a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged stress or overexertion, especially when paired with unrealistic expectations or a lack of meaningful support (World Health Organization). It tends to build over time, slowly draining your energy, creativity, and sense of purpose until even simple tasks feel overwhelming. Understanding what causes burnout and how to recognize it is the first step toward healing.
How Do I Know If I’m Experiencing Burnout?
Burnout can look different for each person, but there are common signs to be aware of. If you’re wondering whether you're dealing with burnout, take a moment to reflect on these symptoms:
Chronic fatigue or exhaustion
Anxiety, irritability, or feeling emotionally on edge
Sleep problems or insomnia
Emotional numbness or disconnection
Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
Feeling detached, listless, or unmotivated
Loss of creativity or passion
Negative self-talk or increased self-criticism
Headaches, muscle tension, or frequent illness
A sense of dread about work or caregiving responsibilities
Withdrawal from social interactions
Low mood, hopelessness, or depression
If you’re experiencing several of these symptoms over an extended period, you may be in burnout. Without proper rest, boundaries, and support, burnout can linger for months or longer. But with intentional effort, it is treatable.
What Causes Burnout?
Burnout often results from chronic imbalance—when the demands placed on you consistently exceed your internal and external resources. While the specifics vary, most causes of burnout fall into three general categories:
1. Overload Burnout
This is the most familiar form of burnout and stems from trying to do too much, for too long, with too little rest. It’s common among high-achievers, perfectionists, caregivers, and professionals who overextend themselves in pursuit of success or a sense of worth. Eventually, pushing past your limits becomes unsustainable, leading to exhaustion and collapse.
2. Under-Challenged Burnout
Not all burnout is due to doing too much, sometimes it comes from doing too little of what feels meaningful. Under-challenged burnout occurs when your work or role feels monotonous, unfulfilling, or disconnected from your strengths and interests. This can lead to apathy, low motivation, and a sense of being stuck.
3. Worn-Out Burnout
Worn-out (or neglect) burnout often emerges when you're doing your best under chaotic or unsupported conditions. When you're given too much responsibility with little structure, guidance, or recognition, it’s easy to feel helpless, frustrated, or resentful. Over time, this can damage your self-esteem and create a sense of defeat.
Common Types of Burnout and Their Symptoms
Burnout doesn’t show up the same way for everyone. Below are three common areas where burnout can take hold:
Parental Burnout Symptoms
Parenting is deeply rewarding, but also intensely demanding. When you’re constantly giving to your children without time to rest, reflect, or be supported yourself, burnout can creep in (The Times). It’s not a reflection of how much you love them—it’s a sign that you need support.
Signs include:
Persistent guilt or feeling like you’re never doing enough
Emotional distance or feeling disconnected from your children
Irritability, overwhelm, or “snapping” easily
Fantasizing about escaping your role
Feeling emotionally numb or exhausted by daily routines
Loss of joy in parenting
Shame about not living up to internal expectations
Caregiver Burnout Symptoms
Caregiver burnout affects those who provide emotional, physical, or logistical support to others, whether it’s an aging parent, partner, or loved one with a chronic condition. This type of burnout often shows up when you’re caring for someone else and putting your own needs last.
Signs include:
Fatigue that doesn’t improve with sleep
Feeling trapped or resentful of caregiving responsibilities
Reduced empathy or emotional detachment
Physical symptoms like headaches or GI issues
A decline in personal health due to neglecting your own needs
Social withdrawal and feelings of isolation
Job Burnout Symptoms
Work-related burnout can impact your focus, energy, and confidence, not to mention your emotional health and relationships outside of work. Job burnout often includes dreading work, feeling unmotivated, or losing your sense of purpose. It might feel like you’re just going through the motions.
Signs include:
Emotional exhaustion and dread at the start of each workday
Feeling disillusioned or cynical about your job
Decreased productivity and increased mistakes
Feeling underappreciated or stuck in your role
Struggling to separate work and personal time
Click here for the Burnout Self-Assessment PDF to see if the signs and symptoms of burnout at work resonate with you.
What Is Emotional Burnout?
Emotional burnout is the mental and emotional depletion that comes from prolonged emotional labor. It’s especially common in helping professions, caregiving roles, or situations where you're constantly managing others’ needs, feelings, or crises. You might find yourself numbing out, reacting more intensely to small stressors, or feeling like you have “nothing left to give.”
How to Heal Burnout
Burnout recovery takes time, but it’s absolutely possible. Whether you’re feeling on the edge or deep in it, the path to healing begins by tuning into your needs and giving yourself permission to pause.
Here are a few essential steps to help you overcome burnout:
Recognize the signs early and name what’s happening
Set or reinforce boundaries to protect your time and energy
Seek support, whether that’s therapy, community, or help at home or work
Build in rest and joy—not just sleep, but time that restores you
Challenge internalized beliefs like “I can’t say no” or “I should be able to handle this”
Reconnect with purpose through values-based reflection or small, meaningful changes
It’s okay to ask for help.
Coping with work stress starts with acknowledging your limits and recognizing that you don’t have to do it all alone.
How Therapy Can Help
Burnout often comes from a place of wanting to be the best help to everyone, but the reality is that you’re not going to be much help to anyone if you’re burned out. Whether you’re on the brink or deep in the midst of burnout, therapy can help you regain the vitality that is often depleted as a result of burnout.
Therapy offers a space to unpack what’s driving your burnout and create a more sustainable, compassionate way forward. Together, you can:
Develop a healthy work-life balance
Explore patterns of overgiving or perfectionism
Restore your sense of purpose and identity
Learn to protect your energy without guilt
Reconnect with yourself and your relationships
You don’t have to wait until you “crash” to get support. Burnout is your body and mind asking for care, and you deserve to answer that call with compassion.
Frequently Asked Questions About Burnout
What is the stage past burnout?
When burnout progresses unchecked, it can lead to more severe emotional and psychological distress, sometimes resembling clinical depression. Individuals may feel emotionally numb, shut down, or deeply disconnected from their roles and relationships. This stage is often characterized by a sense of helplessness, hopelessness, or even collapse of motivation and identity (Maslach & Leiter).
How long can burnout last?
Burnout can last for weeks, months, or even longer, especially if left unaddressed. Its duration depends on the severity and the presence (or absence) of support and recovery practices. Long-term burnout has been associated with cognitive and emotional impairment and slower recovery from stress-related illnesses (Salvagioni et al.).
What are the symptoms of burnout at work?
Burnout at work can show up in both emotional and physical ways. You might feel chronically exhausted, unmotivated, or detached from your job. Common symptoms include irritability, reduced concentration, cynicism, a drop in performance, and physical issues like headaches or trouble sleeping. It can also feel like you’re just going through the motions or dreading the start of each workday.
What is emotional burnout?
Emotional burnout is the deep exhaustion that comes from carrying ongoing emotional stress, often without enough rest or support. It’s common in caregiving roles or helping professions, but anyone can experience it. You might feel drained, numb, easily overwhelmed, or like you have nothing left to give emotionally. It’s a sign that your nervous system needs care and recovery, not more pressure. Emotional burnout is also strongly linked to poor job performance and emotional withdrawal (Bakker et al.).
Wondering how to help someone with burnout?
Start by validating their experience and offering support without trying to fix it. Small, concrete gestures like taking something off their plate or simply listening can be powerful. Social support plays a significant role in buffering the impact of burnout.
Final Thoughts
Burnout doesn’t mean you’ve failed—it means you’ve been trying to do too much, for too long, without enough support. Whether you’re navigating burnout at work, in parenting, or in caregiving, your exhaustion is a signal not a weakness. Healing begins with listening to what your body and mind have been trying to tell you. You don’t have to keep pushing through. You’re allowed to rest, to set boundaries, and to receive care too.
If you’re interested in therapy for burnout, feel free to reach out to set up a free 15-minute phone consultation to see if I’m the right therapist to help you.
Article Updated 7/30/2025
About the Author: Sage Grazer, LCSW
I am a licensed psychotherapist providing online therapy to adults struggling with anxiety, burnout, trauma, loss, and relationship issues. I help clients develop the insight, skills, and resilience to cope with whatever life stresses come their way. I specialize in helping high-achieving young professionals overcome anxiety and burnout to feel more confident, empowered, and effective in their lives. If you’re a resident of California or Hawaii, schedule a free consultation to learn more.